Hundreds of capture-the-flag competitions run every year, from beginner gyms to elite world championships. Here are some of the best and most famous CTF competitions to know in 2026 — what makes each one notable, and how to find and join events at your level.
New to all this? Read what a CTF is and how to play CTF online first — then aim for one of these.
Notable CTF Competitions
Editions, dates, and exact formats change year to year, so treat this as a map of the landscape rather than a schedule. For live dates, always check a calendar (see below).
DEF CON CTF
Elite / AdvancedOften considered the world championship of CTF. An invite/qualifier-based attack-defense competition with finals held at DEF CON in Las Vegas. The top teams on the planet compete here.
Google CTF
AdvancedAn annual jeopardy-style competition run by Google’s security team, known for high-quality, creative challenges and a separate beginner’s quest aimed at newcomers.
PlaidCTF
AdvancedHosted by the Plaid Parliament of Pwning (PPP) out of Carnegie Mellon, PlaidCTF is famous for difficult, polished challenges and a strong reputation in the community.
picoCTF
Beginner-friendlyCreated by Carnegie Mellon University, picoCTF is the go-to entry point for newcomers and students. Free, education-focused, with an annual event and a year-round practice gym.
CSAW CTF
Student / All levelsRun by NYU, CSAW is one of the largest student-oriented cybersecurity competitions, with qualifiers open to all and finals for top student teams.
Corporate & Industry CTFs
Beyond the classic community events, many companies host their own CTFs for recruiting, brand awareness, and community building. Meta has run capture-the-flag events and open-sourced its CTF platform (fbctf), and security vendors such as Kaspersky have hosted industry-focused CTFs (including industrial/ICS-themed events). These corporate CTFs are a great way to engage with a specific company’s security community — and a model many organizations now copy to generate leads and recruit talent.
How to Find Upcoming CTF Events
The community standard for discovering CTFs is CTFtime.org, which maintains a global calendar of upcoming and ongoing events, team rankings, and event ratings. Filter by format and difficulty to find one that fits — new competitions run almost every weekend.
Choosing the Right Competition for You
New to CTFs?
Start with picoCTF or the beginner track of a larger event before tackling the elite competitions.
Competitive player?
Aim for Google CTF, PlaidCTF, or DEF CON qualifiers — and build a team to climb the rankings.
Organization?
Host your own private CTF to train staff, run a hackathon, or attract talent.
Run your own CTF competition
You don’t have to be Google or DEF CON to host a great CTF. CTF-Hub gives you live scoreboards, isolated labs, team management, and white-label branding — for a club, a class, or a company-wide competition.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most famous CTF competitions?
Some of the most well-known CTF competitions include DEF CON CTF, Google CTF, PlaidCTF, CSAW CTF, and picoCTF. DEF CON CTF is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious, while picoCTF is the best-known beginner-friendly event.
Which CTF competition is best for beginners?
picoCTF, created by Carnegie Mellon University, is the most popular beginner-friendly CTF. It is free, education-focused, and runs an annual competition plus a year-round practice gym, making it the standard recommendation for newcomers.
Where can I find a calendar of upcoming CTF competitions?
CTFtime.org is the community-maintained calendar that tracks upcoming and ongoing CTF events worldwide, along with team rankings and event ratings. It is the standard place to discover which CTFs are running each weekend.
How do I join a CTF competition?
Find an event (a calendar like CTFtime helps), register a free account on the event’s platform, optionally form or join a team, and log in when the competition starts. Beginner events and the easy challenges in larger CTFs are designed for first-timers.
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